


Kent/Chandler Ficlets

by MeganKray99



Category: Whitechapel (TV)
Genre: Angst, Cute, Domestic, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:47:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 13,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23251945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeganKray99/pseuds/MeganKray99
Summary: Series of connected shorts about Kent and Chandler's relationship inspired by random fanfiction prompt1. Pet names2. Watching the other sleep3. A lazy day4. A sick day5. Trying to seduce one another6. New Year's Eve7. Needing Each Other8. Flowers9. Hugging (tw: domestic abuse mentions)10. Waking Up Together11. Moving In Together12. BabysittingTO BE CONTINUED
Relationships: Joseph Chandler/Emerson Kent
Comments: 23
Kudos: 83





	1. Pet Names

**Author's Note:**

> All chapters will be part of the same universe, meaning that there will be no AUs or divergence.
> 
> I've tried to put them into a chronological order as best I could so the relationship context remains the same, and I will try to make not of any chapters that break this order.

"All I'm saying is, when you look at the facts, its not an entirely fair situation."

Kent rolls his eyes. "It doesn't have to be a fair situation, Joe. In fact, its perfectly fine."

"I suggest we level the playing field," Chandler continues, ignoring Kent's disagreement. The younger man sinks down further on the sofa with a small sigh, holding his cup of tea close to his chest for comfort as he waits for the other man to continue.

"Darling?" Chandler tests. Kent frowns. "Okay, what about... love?"

"Nah, too over the top."

Nodding slightly, he continues to think. "Honey?"

"Weird."

".;.. Sweety?"

"Eww, cheesy."

"Babe?"

Kent snorts into his cup. "Definitely not."

Chandler groans, walking over from the kitchen to sit beside him. "If I can't call you by your given name, then what can I call you? It just gets... somewhat strange when I have to keep calling you by your professional name in our private time."

Kent places his cup back on the coffee table so he can place a hand on top of Joe's. He understands the frustration he feels - differentiating between their work lives and their love lives can be difficult in general, and the added complication of not having boundaries when it comes to addressing one another is another hurdle, one they need to discuss. "I know. But look on the bright side! You don't have to worry about accidentally calling me anything else at work. I have to keep reminding myself not to call you Joe in conversation."

Chandler laughs at the thought, but he keeps his eyes on their hands. "While that may be true, I think I do a pretty good job of leaving you out of any personal anecdotes Miles' tries to force out of me, so I think I could manage a name." His eyes still don't move away as he turns his hand to link his fingers with Kent's softly. "This whole thing with the.... well, the privacy... it may not be ideal, but I," he pauses with a sigh, finally moving his gaze to look at Kent's face. "I want to do the rest properly." He squeezes Kent's hand - a calming amount of pressure. "I want this to feel as real as it is."

Kent feels his cheeks heat up and breaks the eye contact to look down at his lap. When he feels brave enough to look back, he smiles softly as his partner, who returns the smile just as warmly. Shifting on the sofa, Kent presses against Chandler's side and rests his head on his shoulder, and they remain quiet for a long moment, enjoying the comfort.

"Em."

"Hmm," Chandler calmly hums with a questioning lilt.

"You can't call me Emerson, I'll never let that happen, but... you can call me Em."


	2. Watching the Other Sleep

Chandler has always had issues with sleep, his brain constantly working and refusing to rest. It gets better between cases, when there are less time constraints to his worries, less risk if he shuts it down. It just also happens that his brain manages to find the less important issues to focus on - the ones he is able ignore during the high-stress periods.

Tonight is one of those nights.

The team isn't working on any case in particular - a few small ones that are usually solved the same day, if not the next. Yet Chandler still finds himself awake at 3am, listening to the sounds of the occasional car or siren that passes by outside. The sirens have a tendency to send his brain into overload, wondering where they are going and whether he is about to get a call from Miles about a body. Once those anxieties fade, his brain goes back to more tedious worries - bills, paperwork, chores, and such. Most nights this cycle continues until his alarm sounds and he is able to start preparing for work.

Tonight is not one of those nights.

The body beside him rolls over, though still sleeping soundly. Chandler decides to focus on the face of the younger man, taking in as many details as he can. The way his eyelids flutter slightly as he dreams, the amount of freckles lightly placed across his skin, the exact curvature of his nose, the curls that fall haphazardly across his forehead.

Chandler shifts to face him more directly as he brushes a finger lightly across his cheek. The light tickle causes Kent's nose to scrunch up ever so slightly and snuggle deeper into the pillow, causing Chandler to huff out a small laugh and smile at the man.

He wiggles a touch closer to Kent and gently pulls him to his chest, cautious not to wake him. Pressing his face against the curls, Chandler closes his eyes and his takes in the scent - its his own shampoo, of course, from the shower Kent took earlier, and it strangely fills Chandler with a sense of pride and love. He can feel himself drifting to sleep as he thinks of the day he will finally be able to overcome his worries and insecurities to proudly share that love with everyone who matters most to them

Tomorrow won't be one of those days.


	3. A Lazy Day

A simple Monday to Friday work week doesn't always work out for detectives. There's always the possibility of a call out-of-hours - crime never sleeps, as the saying goes. Not that Chandler does either.

Despite these occasional call-ins, most weekends tend to work in their favour, allowing the team sufficient (and frankly, well-deserved) free time to rest and destress.

Chandler was never one to really take advantage of those moments. His weekends were often spent going over the cases soon due in court, glancing over cold cases in the hope of a breakthrough, or planning the next week's plan of action to keep the team busy and productive. However, after drinks with the team on Friday, Chandler invited Kent to stay over, thus leading to him waking up next to the detective at 9.30am Saturday morning (much later than Chandler would have planned to wake up had he been alone).

Though, he can't say he would complain. If there was any feeling better than drifting to sleep to the sound of Kent's slow breaths and the warmth of his body pressed against him, it was waking up to those same sensations, the reminder that its still all real and happening, and will likely to continue to happen as long as they kept the arrangement in tact. The feeling of security, love, and hopefulness.

As if sensing Chandler's gaze, the young man stirs and his eyes slowly flutter open, his nose scrunching as the brightness from outside catches him off-guard. Chandler chuckles at the motion and leans forward to press a kiss to his forehead. "Morning," he whispers, giving Kent time to adjust to consciousness. Kent merely hums in response and throws an arm over his face, turning onto his back.

"What time is it?" Chandler is able to make out from the muffled speech.

"For you? A bit early."

The side of Kent's mouth twitches upward as he moves the arm away from his eyes to look at him. "And for you?"

Chandler makes a show of thinking. "Well... I suppose I could have had a few things done by now."

Kent giggles. "Then its a good thing I'm here, you shouldn't be doing anything on a Saturday morning. Its a time to switch off and forget about everything else going on."

Chandler props himself up onto his elbow and throws the other arm over Kent, pulling him closer. "It's not that easy, you know. Switching it off."

The young man smirks and reaches up to wrap his arms around Chandler's neck. "Maybe its easier than you think. Apparently my presence is enough to change your Saturday routine." His hands travel across Chandler's shoulders and down his back, feeling as he shivers at the touch. "And perhaps your entire moral and professional ideals."

Chandler leans down to press his lips to Kent's neck. "Maybe you have a point," he mumbles against his skin. "So," he begins, pulling back enough to look Kent in the eye. "How do you suppose we spend our Saturday?"

Kent tries to hide the smile he feels at the use of 'our', instead opting to continue mapping Chandler's chest with his hands. "I think we should shower." He pauses for the other man's hum of approval. "Then make breakfast."

"It'll be brunch at this rate."

"Then," he continues, ignoring the interruption, "we can spent the rest of the morning sitting around watching whatever trash is on TV at this time of day. That way we don't have to think about anything at all." His hands pause in their movements. "And maybe if your good, I'll let you talk about work."

Chandler presses a kiss to the side of Kent's mouth. "That sounds amazing."

Kent returns his arms around Chandler's neck. "But first...." He trails off, slowly dragging Chandler closer to him. Chandler fully agrees with the new plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully writing ABOUT the lazy day instead of actually writing the day itself still meets the prompt...


	4. A Sick Day

He shouldn't keep looking. Nothing is going to be different the next time he looks across at the empty desk, and its beginning to cause suspicion. Miles has probably noticed but has decided not to say anything - he'd just assume the change of routine is throwing Chandler off, making it hard for him to concentrate. Not that that line of thought is entirely inaccurate. Kent's empty desk isn't a sight that greets him often.

It happens very rarely, just the odd occasion that Kent calls in sick or has been ordered to stay home while injured. The latter happens even less frequently, and Chandler would prefer not to dwell on those instances for too long to prevent unpleasant memories of some very bad decisions on his own part. Luckily, Chandler knows that nothing serious has happened to Kent; not just from hearing it work, but because Kent had mentioned feeling run down on the phone the last night, and sounded even worse when Chandler called to check on him this morning. _Just an irritating cold_ , to use the words Kent had mumbled into the phone to reassure him.

It should have reassured him. But here Chandler is, still glancing over to the empty desk every few minutes, worried out of his mind.

-

Kent readjusts the thin blanket that's starting to slip from around his shoulders as he stirs his cup of tea. His head feels fuzzy and his body aches from the walk between the sofa and the kitchen. His roommates luckily aren't around to bother him, one having gone out with friends for the night and the other working a night shift, leaving him to wallow in peace. He slowly shuffles back to the makeshift bed he has created out of numerous blankets and sofa cushions, ready to watch random afternoon shows that don't require much attention until he (inevitably) falls to sleep again.

He barely sits before the knocking starts. With a large groan and a half-sob, he manages to heave himself back upright and waddle to the door, still wrapped up in his little blanket, and opens it with a glare ready on his face.

Seeing Chandler was a definite surprise.

"Joe? What are you doing here?" Kent asks with a croaky voice. Chandler looks him up and down, taking in the reddened nose, the bags under his eyes, and the hunch in his posture that shows his fatigue. Noticing Chandler's inspection of him, Kent hides himself slightly behind the door.

"I, uh-" Chandler starts, then seemingly begins to get flustered. Kent can't help but smile. "I was just worried about you at work, so... I thought I would drop by and make sure you were doing okay." He places a hand on Kent's arm and squeezed lightly as a show of comfort.

Kent leans into the touch. "I won't lie, I could be better, but I'm coping," he jokes. "I'm sure I'll be back to work and yelling at Mansell in no time."

Chandler chuckles. "I'm pretty sure he missed you as well. Something about there being no one else to tease when you're not around."

"Sounds about right."

A semi-awkward silence arrives as they both somehow manage to avoid eye contact, unsure of how to continue the interaction. Chandler suddenly glances to his own hand as he if he remembered something and Kent notices the carrier bag he is holding. He holds the bag out for Kent to take. "I went to a shop on the way here and grabbed a few things I thought might help. I, well... I had to kind of guess what you might need as I wasn't quite sure what you would have liked."

Kent opens the bag to see a handful of basic essentials - some packets of tissues, cold & flu tablets/drinkable medicine, painkillers, and such - alongside some ice cream and his favourite soup. Lifting the soup out of the bag, he looks up at Chandler, who is glancing around nervously. "How did you know?" he asks softly, unsure if he even spoke loud enough for the other man to hear.

"I remembered you telling me," Chandler utters, almost sounding shy. "I don't remember _why_ you told me exactly, but I do remember the things you tell me."

"I'd hug you if I wasn't contagious."

Chandler laughs openly at the comment, happy they had somehow managed to move away from the budding awkwardness. "I wouldn't stop you if you did."

"I know you wouldn't, but I don't want you to get sick. I assume you would..." he trails off, trying to pick his words carefully, "have a problem with that." Kent winces slightly at his own words, worried that he may have stepped over an unspoken boundary. Of course Kent knows about Chandler's OCD, the whole squad does, but its not something they've openly talked about. Perhaps Chandler had wanted it to stay that way.

Instead, Chandler takes a step closer and places his hands on Kent's shoulders. "You don't have to worry about me, Em." His voice is close to a whisper and the tenderness of it makes Kent's chest feel funny. "I'm not going to start avoiding you because feel a bit sick. I admit, I may falter sometimes, and I can't control that, but every other moment I want to spent making sure you're looked after."

Kent struggles to find a response to that. Chandler didn't say much, but he said enough to send his mind into a whirlwind. In lieu of words, Kent closes the gap between them to rest his head of Chandler's shoulder and wrap his arms around his waist. And Chandler understands. In their private bubble of secrecy, the less said often gets the message across more clearly - they're getting deeper into this and that thought is simultaneously exhilerating and terrifying, creating new fears of how long they could keep this up before everything goes awry. Chandler wraps his arms around Kent in return, squeezing him even tighter; a silent acceptance of the newly presented challenge.


	5. Trying To Seduce One Another (4+1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn, this chapter is longer than all the previous chapters combined... Eventually I won't be able to call them ficlets anymore...

1)

"Shit!" Chandler hears from the depths of the archives, followed by the loud thump of something heavy hitting the floor. He heads towards the familiar voice and finds Kent crouched down picking up files from messy heap on the floor. He immediately crouches with him to help.

"One day they're all going to fall on him and no one will know," Kent grumbles, accepting the pile Chandler had manage to collect for him and placing them back on the nearby desk.

Chandler hums in agreement. "I'm sure Miles has been imagining a similar scenario for a while now. For fun, not out of any concern." Standing back upright, he glances around the otherwise empty room. "Why are you down here alone? Is Ed not around?"

"No," Kent lets out a sigh. "He asked for my help with moving some files an hour ago, then just disappeared. Maybe he's just tricked me into taking his job."

"Or maybe he did get stuck under a tower of files."

"Fingers crossed," Kent comments, making Chandler laugh. "What about you then? Hear the bang and wanted to rescue me?" Kent tilts his head slyly with a smirk and gently pokes Chandler's arm. "My hero. You should get a reward."

Chandler doesn't miss the implication. "Sorry to disappoint, but I was actually looking for Ed."

Kent scrunches his nose. "Not a mental image I wanted."

The older man laughs and takes hold of Kent's hand loosely. "I just needed an old case file."

The smile returns. "Well, as Ed's impromptu assistant, is there anything I could personally help you with?" He puts on an innocent look as he gently pulls on Chandler's arm to urge him nearer until they are dangerously close.

He looks down at his partner, a content smile on his face. "What are you doing?" he asks, chuckling.

Kent lets go of Chandler's hand to smooth his hands down the front of Chandler's suit, playing with the lapels subtly. "Nothing, Sir," he whispers. Chandler opens his mouth to speak when they both hear Ed walk into the room and call out Kent's name. The young man keeps eye contact as he reaches to the side to pick up the files he placed there, and then winks as he slowly turns to walk out from behind the shelf.

"How many more files could you possibly need moving, Ed?" Kent asks nonchalantly, leaving Chandler still hidden and struggling to compose himself.

-

2)

He has Chandler pressed against the back of the sofa as he straddles his lap, kissing him intensely. He'd wasted no time as soon as they had gotten to his flat, manoeuvring them into the living room without breaking for air, and they've made no attempt to stop since, savouring the opportunity for finally being alone.

Chandler slides his hands up Kent's back beneath his suit jacket before attempting to push it from his shoulders. Kent takes his hands from the crooks of Chandler's neck to help him remove the garment, then moves to help Chandler out of his - a slightly more difficult challenge due to their positioning. They barely manage to remove the jacket at all before they hear the keys in the front door.

"Fuck," Kent mumbles as he quickly moves off Chandler's lap, picking his jacket up and draping it on the arm of the sofa. Chandler attempts to straighten his clothes somewhat to appear more presentable. A few seconds later, Kent's flatmate comes around the corner, her movement faltering when she notices the guest.

"Oh, sorry, Kent. I'm not interrupting anything important, am I?"

"No, no, its fine," Kent reassures, trying to sound as calm as he can. "The boss just wanted an opinion on a case, that's all." He turns to Chandler, who still looks surprised. Once he notices Kent's gaze, he turns to greet the flatmate.

"Yes, Kent was running a background check on the victim's finances and I wanted to see if there was anything questionable found. I believed it would be better to discuss as I drove him home rather than keep him late." Chandler realises he is rambling and overexplaining when he sees the confused look on the woman's face. "Apologies, I haven't introduced myself. DI Chandler." He stands to offer his hand, which she promptly shakes.

"I gathered as much. I'm Chelsea." She smiles politely.

"What are you doing back so early?" Kent asks from behind them.

Chelsea scoffs. "Client cancelled 10 minutes before his apppointment. I mean, its great that I get to leave early, but a bit more notice would have been welcomed."

"He probably chickened out," Kent laughs. "No one likes therapy." Chandler can tell he is joking, but it makes him wonder if he is speaking from experience. Chelsea rolls her eyes and wanders into the kitchen.

After the relief fades, an awkward silence settles between them. "I, uh," Chandler starts, glancing anywhere but Kent. "I should probably be going."

Kent smiles sadly, apology written on his features. "Of course, Sir. I'll see you in the morning."

Chandler nods lightly before turning to leave, not risking another look at the young detective.

-

3)

Kent had discovered the stairwell early on. He had used it once or twice while wandering the station, and once he noticed how little people actually used it, it became a space for him to sometimes sit to be alone, especially during more hectic cases. Occasionally a uniformed officer would apppear, often in a hurry, but not enough that Kent worried about being seen loitering there at random hours of the day. It was effectively abandoned, with so little functioning CCTV that there were many blindspots (a security nightmare, but Kent took full advantage of this on bad days).

The way Chandler has him pressed against the wall as he litters kisses across his neck increases his thankfulness for his discovery.

Chandler returns to his mouth, kissing him with enough force to be effective, but gentle enough so it won't be obvious when they return to the workroom. Kent wraps his arms around Chandler's shoulders as he attempts to pull him even closer, as impossible as that would be. Taking the hint, Chandler grabs the backs of Kent's thighs and lifts him up before pressing him back against the wall, allowing the younger man to wrap his legs around him too.

As things start getting more heated, Kent summons the last of his willpower to lightly push Chandler away. "Joe," he starts as he manages to separate himself from the man's lips. "Joe, we can't." Chandler simply frowns at him in confusion. "We're at work."

"There's no one around."

"But that doesn't mean someone can't just walk in. If we get caught, it could affect your career." He grabs Chandler's hand and links their fingers. "While I really enjoy pushing your boundaries, I couldn't risk doing that to you."

Sighing, the DI leans in a presses a soft kiss to Kent's lips. "You're right. I got carried away. Its been a bit too long, hasn't it?" Chandler flushes and rubs the back of his neck.

Kent giggles. "Don't worry, Joe. We'll fix that very soon."

-

4)

Chandler isn't quite sure when it became a routine: solving a case and drinking to celebrate. After the bigger cases, they tend to celebrate in the workroom, too emotionally drained to move anywhere else. The smaller (though still significant) cases - the ones that take a few days but aren't as stressful as the serial murders that often end up on his desk - have them all piling into their local pub and squashed into a booth. At the start, he used to turn down the offer more often than he accepted, but over the years he found some sort of comfort in it; if he is going to drink all night after a case, he might as well do it with company to make it sound less depressing.

He's currently sat nursing his drink while surveying his team, who had all apparently dispersed during the course of the evening. Mansell went missing not long after they arrived, and Chandler doesn't really care to find out where he is. Kent and Riley went to the bar about 15 minutes ago, and have since been chatting for so long that they seem to have simply forgotten to return to the table. (Chandler can see that Kent is leaning against the bar in a way that suggests the alcohol if finally starting to take full effect, but he's probably the only one to have taken such notice). Miles and Ed have both remained at the table, but have gotten into an argument about Ed's need for a part-time assistant (saves Kent doing the job, Chandler supposes with a supressed shiver at the memory), so he tries his best to ignore them, not wanting to encourage any further squabbles.

Eventually, though more out of boredom than necessity, Chandler excuses himself to the bathroom. Neither of the two men even pause for a second as he slides out of the booth and heads across the room. Once he arrives, he walks over to the sink and switches on the tap. Looking at his appearance in the mirror he starts to take notice of his own tipsiness, now that the room is calm enough to notice. He quickly rinses his hands under the tap and begins readjusting his suit, valuing the momentary silence he has found.

He almost heaves a heavy sigh when he hears the door open until he sees the man reflected in the mirror.

They don't say anything as they maintain a comfortable eye contact, small smiles on both of their mouths. The young man walks closer to him and wraps his arms around his waist, resting his head on the back of Chandler's shoulder. Chuckling, he turns in Kent's grip so they're facing each other, though Kent rests his head again once repositioned. Without saying a word, Chandler uses a finger to lift Kent's chin and presses their lips together softly. Kent smiles into the kiss and deepens it, but keeps it tame at the same time.

Its nice, Chandler thinks. Though they are still essentially hidden away from the others, they're still in a public, often frequented area, and it makes him feel happy - hopeful. When they pull away, Kent runs his hands across Chandlers back and looks up at him with puppy eyes. "I've missed you."

Its such an innocent yet blatant statement. Chandler gets it completely. The implication makes his heat up, his skin burning where Kent's pressed against him, and he can't find the strength to look away from him. He just wants to show Kent just how much he's missed him too. He really does miss Kent, in a weird way. He shouldn't, they see other more often than most people, and it hasn't been that long since Kent spent the night... has it?

He's prevented from saying anything as he hears Mansell's loud voice from just outside the door, calling for Kent. Kent pulls himself away from Chandler rather quickly (understandably so), but keeps the eye contact until Mansell walks into the bathroom. "Where've you been all night?" Kent asks accusingly.

Mansell holds his hands up. "Calm down, mum, I was just outside. Phone call." Kent rolls his eyes, knowing exactly who would be on the other end of the call. "Just thought I'd offer you a lift home. I've barely had a drink all night, and I'm... heading that way now." Narrowing his eyes at the implication, Kent pauses a moment. Something they've seemingly mastered over the course of this arrangement is the art of silent communication. Kent isn't even looking at him and he can hear the question: _Should I?_

Its a good question. Kent doesn't have to accept the offer, he has other ways to get home, and Mansell would probably understand. But there's also the risk of saying no. Kent usually goes home around this time, which is probably why he sought out Chandler, and Mansell had found them standing together in the bathroom - he would probably think nothing of it, but saying anything that would _make_ Mansell think about it could end badly for them.

In the split second of silence, Kent comprehends every thought and makes the decision. He groans. "Alright, sure. But if you mention ANYTHING about where you're going, I'm getting out and walking."

Mansell mocks a salute and turns to leave, expecting Kent to follow him out. Instead, he remains on the spot as Mansell turns the corner, reaching for Chandler's hand as the door closes and squeezes it lightly. Without a word, he drops the hand and walks out to catch up with Mansell, leaving Chandler staring after him.

-

+1)

They barely have the door closed before he's pressing Kent against it. They're learning from their mistakes, this time opting for Chandler's flat - completely flatmate and colleague free, and thus no risk factor. He's managed to get Kent's tie off and is unfastening the top buttons of his shirt to get better access to his neck.

Kent laughs at the urgency. "Calm down, Joe. We have all night."

Chandler pulls back and looks into Kent's eyes. "And I plan to use all of that time very effectively." He leans in, pressing a soft kiss to Kent's lips, and begins to drag him further into the apartment.


	6. New Year's Eve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the upload gap, I promised myself I would keep on top of uploading this time but I had to work on my dissertation some more

Its perfectly normal for Kent not to be here, Chandler has to keep reminding himself. They don't spend every night together, with their heavy work schedules and the need to not draw suspicion. Perhaps its the fact that he _could_ have been here that's making the absence noticeable. It's New Year's Eve, after all. But just because he _could_ have doesn't mean he _would_ have.

Kent had mentioned his flatmates were making plans to celebrate the occasion, and how they were trying to encourage him to go. He didn't particularly want to go, he said, but he had been turning down plans too frequently, and people would start asking questions if it kept happening. Chandler suspects that Kent was somewhat excited about it too, as much as he had been complaining about it in the preceding days - he loves his flatmates and likely misses spending time with them. That tends to happen when you grow accustomed to people's company.

That thought brings Chandler back to the root of problem. He's grown too accustomed to Kent's company.

Its too much - he shouldn't be sat around at 11pm doing nothing at all just because he can't focus on anything except the lack of Kent in the apartment.

And maybe they're both screwed in that regard because there's Kent's name flashing up on his phone. Chandler rushes to pick it up but, noticing his own eagerness, lets it continue to ring for a few more seconds before answering. "Hi," he utters, his lips quirking into a small smile that he tries to fight.

"Hi!" Kent exclaims, sounding way to enthuasiastic and clearly borderline drunk. Chandler smiles even more. He can hear wind and the occasional car, so Kent must have left his friends to make the call. "I'm not bothering you, am I?"

Chandler chuckles at the sad tone he switched to. "Not at all."

"Oh, good!" He can practically hear the grin that must return to Kent's face. "I assumed you'd be awake, you usually are, so I wanted to maybe check in, I guess? But you might have been working, you tend to do that, even when you don't have to, and I didn't want to interrupt, y'know?"

Once he was sure the man had finished rambling, he responded. "I wasn't working, but you know I would be happy to speak with you regardless. How is your night going?"

"Good." Kent speaks quickly, his words not fully convincing, his mood clearly drooping. "Good. It's fun. I'm having...." He trails off, sounding confused. "Fun."

They allowed a moment of silence to pass, both of them processing the statement. "Are you alright, Em?" Chandler eventually asks.

Kent hums in affirmation. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just..." he sighs loudly. "I dunno, Joe." Chandler doesn't respond, waiting for Kent to collect his thoughts and elaborate. "I'm enjoying myself, I know I am. It- Well, I, uh-" He can hear the rustling of Kent's clothing as his nervously fidgets. "I wanted to talk to you," he murmurs, sounding embarrassed.

Chandler leans back comfortably on the sofa, no longer denying the enamoured smile that graces his face. "I'm glad you called, Em."

He isn't sure how Kent was going to respond as he gets distracted by a voice in the background yelling "Oi, Kent, get your arse back in here."

Kent groans loudly. "I've got to go. Sorry this was so... brief."

"It's okay. You should get back to your friends. I'll see you soon?"

"Of course." There's a hesistation on Kent's end. "... bye, Joe."

When the line disconnects, Chandler doesn't immediately put the phone away, instead keeping it pressed to his ear and savouring the moment.

-

Chandler glances at the clock again. 23:52. Its been 40 minutes since his call with Kent and he still hasn't settled or adjusted to the absence. He switched the TV on not long after the call, hoping the background noise would distract him as he paced around the apartment, making cups of tea or reorganising various items. BBC One were showing some sort of fireworks display as they prepared for the New Year celebration (some form of music concert? Chandler isn't quite sure). 

He checks the clock again. 23:55.

He contemplates reorganising his bookshelf when he is surprised by the sound of his doorbell. After cautiously approaching the door, he swings it open to find Kent leaning against the doorframe, likely to keep himself steady in his inebriated state. Upon seeing Chandler, his face lights up. "Hi, Joe."

Chandler finds himself momentarily stunned, but manages to shake himself out of it to let Kent into the apartment, pressing the door closed behind him. "I thought you would still be out. Surely New Year celebrations take place through the whole night."

"Yeah, well.." Kent looks at the floor, avoiding Chandler's gaze. "I missed you."

He says it so bluntly - so matter-of-fact - that it catches Chandler off-guard. He flounders, keeping his eyes on the young man. The signs of visible nervousness in Kent's movements grow, so he steps forward, putting his hands on his shoulders, making him meet his eyes again. "I missed you too." He says it with a certainty he is surprised to feel, one he knows should scare him but the worry doesn't come.

"I told them," Kent states, then rushes to explain when he sees the panic on Chandler's face. "Nothing specific! I promise, just... that I'm seeing someone. And that's where I've been all those times I've turned them down. That way we don't have to make excuses and compromises all the time."

Chandler thinks it over for a second, then nods slowly. "You're right, it's probably for the best."  Kent opens his mouth to speak, but closes it again with a sigh, looking down again. Chandler lifts his chin with a finger to make eye contact again. "What's wro-"

"It's weird, isn't it?" Kent asks distantly, his drunken thoughts spewing at the prompt. "This thing- this 'arrangement'. It was meant to be this secret, casual thing. And then I start spending more and more time with you, and its getting to the point where I don't want to be anywhere else. And the thought of spending New Year's Eve without you was way more upsetting than it should be." He laughs sadly, causing Chandler's heart to hurt.

This isn't what he wanted. He didn't mean for them to become too involved, but he let it happen anyway. Having his company, attention, and care had made life a bit more comfortable, more exciting. He kept craving more and more until it was too late - he is completely enamoured with Emerson Kent.

He takes another step forward, pulling the other man to his chest and embracing him warmly.

"I know," he whispers into his ear. "I've spent my whole evening wondering what you were doing, if you were having fun, if you were safe. Not having you here with me... it was hard to comprehend." He pulls back to look at Kent, holding his face with both hands. "You're apparently part of my routine now."

Kent smiles. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Chandler leans in brushing his nose against Kent's. He vaguely hears the TV in the other room, a large crowd chanting loudly: 5, 4, 3, 2-

He presses his lips to Kent's, hoping it conveys every emotion he feels.


	7. Needing Each Other

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to stop promising quick updates, I can never follow through, I always have too much on my plate *sigh*  
> Thanks to those who are being patient with my uploading

Chandler can see the pictures from his office, pinned to the whiteboards. Even when he looks at his desk (and all of the casefiles neatly covering the surface) he still knows they're there, can still picture every detail of their faces in his mind, silently taunting. Perhaps he deserves it - they've effectively hit a dead end and Chandler can't see a way of coming back from it. Three bodies beaten almost beyond recognition, different locations, different characteristics, no leads, no witnesses, and no discernible motive - the same way it has been for weeks. Everyone tries to keep busy by revisiting old information, scouting for new leads, or coming up with potential theories, but its mainly just so no one will feel as though they have given up.

Looking back at the pictures, Chandler tries to ignore the way his hands start shaking, itching to reach out for.... _for what_ , he thinks. _For the case files, the need to keep moving? For his tiger balm, the telltale signs of a headache creeping up on him? For-_

His eyes flicker down to the empty desk in front of the whiteboard and he deflates, all the lingering remnants of false stability leaving his body. He has barely seen the other man since the investigation started. They were simply too busy and, frankly, too downhearted to find the time to even chat, no matter how much Chandler feels he needs Kent's company. Its part of the job, they understand that. He couldn't even begin to imagine how it feels for Miles, Riley, and Mansell, who don't have the luxury of seeing their partner's at all during the day (although even Chandler doesn't seem to have that luxury these days either). But none of it detracts from his current need to be just be near Kent - to hear his voice, or see his smile, or just feel his presence.

The professional side of his mind finally kick in, forcing him to stop obsessing over the detective and focus again on the casefiles laid in front of him.

-

A week passes before any new information arrives, and Chandler somewhat wishes that nothing came at all. The suspects - a duo, as it seems - were found in their home, a written confession note nearby. A dual suicide, and no way of finding out why they did it. What else had the team come to expect at this point?

The incident room is uncomfortably quiet as they all pack up to go home. Even Mansell silently clears off his desk and puts on his coat, likely still processing the news. Chandler remains sat at his desk, wringing his hands together and watching his phone, mentally begging for something - _anything_ \- that will distract him from slowly spiralling. His eyes instinctively snap to Kent, who is also sat at his desk but absentmindedly playing with the corners of the case files still piled to the side of his computer. No matter how many times it happens, they will never become indifferent to this outcome.

Chandler continues to watch Kent, taking in the sag of his shoulders and the fatigue on his face. _When was the last time he got some rest?_ Chandler wouldn't know, he hadn't spent much time with the young man outside of work since the case started. He knows he often struggles with sleep during cases. At some point during his pondering, Kent has looked up from his desk and caught his eye. Chandler attempts a small smile, but Kent turns away, sighing heavily and visibly deflating even more (as impossible as he thought that could be).

Kent looks up again, but this time he is surveying the incident room, watching as Riley and Mansell finish gathering their things and head to the doors together with no verbal exchange. Turning back to his desk, he slowly flicks through the folder pile and pulls out whatever he was looking for, before heading over to Miles, who is in the process of putting his coat on. Chandler slyly watches the exchange, trying not to get noticed. Kent holds up the file for Miles to see and gestures towards Chandler's office, likely asking permission to take it in ( _maybe I should have taken a course in lip reading_ ). Eventually, Kent starts walking over to him as Miles begins to head towards the exit.

Chandler's not quite sure why he holds his breath while Kent opens the office door.

There is a short silence as they both struggle to find something to say. Kent clears his throat and holds out the file. "I, erm- I have some paperwork I didn't hand in earlier."

Chandler stands from his chair and makes his way over to the doorway to retrieve the file. As he does so, Kent steps further into the room and slowly pushes the door shut behind him, leaning against it. He allows himself to lightly hold Kent's hand as he takes the file from him. "How have you been?" he asks lowly, although no one is around to hear them. Its more for comfort than secrecy.

"I'm fine, Joe," Kent replies rather bluntly, pulling his hand away.

Chandler lets his arm drop back to his side. "Is something wrong?"

Kent opens his mouth to speak, but closes it again with a huff. He starts glancing around the office, avoiding eye contact as he gathers his thoughts. "It's just..." Another sigh. "It- this, this thing," he stumbles, gesturing between them. "Its getting too much, right now."

Stepping back slightly to create some space, Chandler shakes his head in confusion. "I don't quite understand what yo-"

"I needed you, Joe." Kent states, finally making eye contact. "These cases, they get so stressful and overwhelming, and all I wanted was someone to turn to when it was all too much. And I know we were all busy and preoccupied - we have a job to do, obviously - but there were times you were there- right fucking there, but I couldn't do shit about it because it would have said too much." He starts to get teary, and it takes all of Chandler's willpower to not pull him into his chest. "And that hurt. And honestly, its not even just about this case. I spent most of my free time either with you or thinking about you, but I can't talk about it. I can't even really acknowledge that you exist outside of work, in case people start asking questions that I can't answer. That happened often enough before anything even happened between us." Chandler looks away from Kent as he fumbles with words, unable to think of a response. Kent sighs again, reaching out to take Chandler's hand again. "Look, I get it, okay. It's your job. And you can't risk hurting your career. It means too much to you." He squeezes gently before dropping the hand again. "But I can't keep doing this. I just can't."

He keeps his eyes on Chandler when he finishes speaking. The DI wants to plead, beg him to reconsider, promise him that he would do anything for him no matter what the cost, as long as he can keep him around. But none of those words leave his mouth, his professional mind working to heavily against his personal wants. Instead, he merely nods his head as he says "yes, I- I guess your right."

He continues staring at a point on the wall as he listens to the sound of the door handle opening and the click of the latch as the door closes again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate writing sad things, but I needed a bit of angst to be able to create future fluffiness


	8. Flowers

Kent is dismounting from his scooter when he hears it. "Yeah... mhmm..." Then there is a chuckle that makes him grimace. "Well, just wait until I get home, then... You'll see." He scoffs as he walks past Mansell, who pushes himself off the wall he is leaning against to follow him. "I've got to go, but I'll see you later... Okay, love ya," he finishes, pocketing the phone he was using.

"Do I really have to hear that at work?"

Mansell laughs loudly. "It was private until you showed up." He knocks his shoulder into Kent's, causing him to stumble slightly, chuckling at Kent's sigh. "What do you expect? It's Valentine's Day! Everyone's gonna be as loved up as possible."

"I swear, that's the last thing I need right now." Honestly, it couldn't be worse timing. It had been a rough week since the argument ( _if you could even call it that_ ), and he misses Chandler a lot. He can't just change his mind because he misses him - the conversation needed to happen eventually, and Kent just reached breaking point. And the fact Chandler did nothing to stop it only makes his decision the more necessary. But no amount of reasoning makes it any easier to cope with. "Anyway, regardless of how grossed out the thought makes me, if you're seeing Erica tonight, tell her I said hi."

"Will do. If I get the chance." He burst into laughter when Kent groans in disgust.

As they make their way up the main staircase leading to the incident room, Riley rounds the corner, stopping to wait when she notices them. She smiles when she sees the look of annoyance on Kent's face next to the look of joy on Mansell's. "Great start to the day already, I see."

Mansell throws an arm around Kent's shoulders when the reach the top. "Emerson's not in the mood for love, it seems."

Riley frowns in confusion, then smirks menacingly. "Is that so? I take it you don't have any plans for tonight, then?" She begins walking towards the incident room, expecting the boys to follow.

"Course not, why would I?" she hears from behind her. When she reaches the door, she turns back to the pair.

"Are you sure about that?"

Mansell and Kent glance at each other in confusion. Riley continues into the incident room, so they follow her cautiously. Then Kent stops. On his desk is a large bouquet of flowers, a mixture of deep reds, pale pinks, lilac purples, and pure whites, all arrange within a [purple translucent bubble vase](https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=mab5gyjG&id=28D12F96333B01733E33317EAAE15B5A968D5F1D&thid=OIP.mab5gyjGNNL9T5DEpSwvUgHaLH&mediaurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2Fd6%2F00%2F35%2Fd6003531a15582dae5c3c6b59ab31bed.jpg&exph=900&expw=600&q=translucent+bubble+vase&simid=608034169124620173&selectedindex=4&ajaxhist=0&vt=0&eim=1,2,3,4,6,10&sim=11).

"Go on then, Kent, who've you been secretly shagging?" Mansell prompts, looking equally as surprised as the other man does. Kent ignores the question and slowly makes his way over, staring intently at the bunch while he removes his jacket and places his helmet under the desk. Miles exits Chandler's office with a casefile at that moment and notices Kent's arrival.

"There you are, lad." He wanders over to the desk. "What's all this then? Some kind of secret admirer?"

Mansell snorts. "Or stalker."

"A real Nilsen type." Riley jokes, making Mansell laugh louder.

"Nilsen wasn't a stalker," Ed states as he walks up behind the pair, causing them both to jump in fright.

"Yeah, thanks Ed," Kent comments sarcastically, still not taking his eyes off the bouquet. He touches one of the flower petals and realises they aren't fake, thus likely cost a lot of money. Gulping, he spins the vase around to have a better look and notices a card nestled within the bunch. He hesitates to pick it up and his hand begins to shake lightly. _What am I so scared of?_ Kent wonders. _Nothing could really make the situation any worse. And besides, they might not even be from..._ He gently pulls the card from between the flowers and reads the message.

_YOU MEAN SO MUCH MORE TO ME._

He feels all the breath leave his lungs and had to force himself not to look towards the office window. His brain vividly replays the argument, reciting every word, and it takes everything not to burst into tears in front of all his colleagues. "What does that mean, then?" Mansell asks somewhere over Kent's shoulder. Kent can't find the words to reply, just softly shaking his head.

He hears the click of the office door open, so he places the card back in the bouquet but still refuses to look up at the man.

"Miles, this file has more information on Moore, if you wanted to look into that side of things."

"Do you think he'd be useful?"

"Probably not, but it's safer to rule out options than ignore them." He turns to go back into his office when he notices that they're all crowded around Kent's desk. "What's going on?"

"Someone has a crush on young Emerson, here," Ed announces, patting his hand on Kent's shoulder, who shrugs it off.

Chandler looks at the flowers and raises an eyebrow. "Well, as nice as that may be, I know Kent won't let it affect his work." He looks directly at the other man and Kent finds himself finally looking back. "Correct?"

Kent maintains the eye contact. "Of course not, Sir. I can't say the same for this lot, though." He sends a pointed glance to Mansell.

"I'm sure you all have work to be doing," Chandler says in a light-hearted tone. Everyone shuffles back to their desks. Chandler begins to walk away when he hears a quiet 'thanks, Sir' muttered. He pauses at his doorway, then steps inside. As he closes his office door, he hears Kent's voice once again.

"How the hell am I meant to get this home?"

-

When Kent hears Chandler's footsteps on the stairwell, he stands. As he rounds the corner, Chandler slows to a stop, staring at the younger detective. A moment of silence passes before Kent steps forward to pull Chandler closer and proceeds to kiss him. At first Chandler is shocked, but he eventually pull Kent even closer against him, deepening the kiss. When they separate, Kent is smiling widely.

"No one has even gotten me flowers before. Not even my family when I was in hospital. I thought that was obligated."

Chandler laughs openly, pulling Kent into a tight embrace. "I'm so sorry, Em."

"No, I'm sorry." Kent pushes away so he can look at the other man. "I understand that this is hard - for the both of us, not just me. I just got stressed and overreacted."

"You had every right to say those things. This situation hasn't been fair, especially for you." He grabs Kent's hands and squeezes them. "From now on, I want to make it more apparent how much I care about you, regardless of what it'll do."

They kiss again, but quicker and sweeter. "Secret is good for now, though. No pressure there. The mystery flowers were rough enough, I can't imagine the teasing that will commence if Mansell finds out." Chandler chuckles, nodding in agreement. "I feel bad now. I haven't gotten you anything."

"Oh, Em," Chandler smirks and presses a kiss to his forehead. "I'm sure you can give me an even better present."


	9. Hugging

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW/ This chapter contains discussions of domestic abuse. I will include a TW marker for when those parts start and end, but they are a huge part of the chapter, so I will include a quick summary of the chapter in the end notes for those who do not want to read the entire thing.
> 
> Long time no see....  
> I recently started both my new University course AND a new job, so I had to take a hiatus for a while.
> 
> This chapter is a looonnng one, but it should be the last long one in the series, as the other parts will be a lot more straightforward (hopefully).

"Is it their anniversary?" Chandler asks, handing Kent a rinsed dish.

"No, I think that was last month." He places dish into the dishwasher.

"Then perhaps its someone's birthday?"

Kent leans against the kitchen counter to face the other man. "Well, it's definitely not Skip's, and I doubt the team would be invited to a kids party. Maybe Judy?"

"Yeah, maybe," Chandler hands over the last dish and grabs a towel to dry his hands. "But why would Judy want the team at her party?"

Shrugging, Kent closes the dishwasher and turns it on. "Why would anyone invite us anywhere? We're boring," he jokes, taking the towel being offered to him. Chandler chuckles and walks over to him, wrapping his arms around his slender waist. Kent leans back into the embrace and sighs. "Just remind me not to drink too much tomorrow. I might forget that we can't do this."

Chandler presses a kiss to his temple. "I wouldn't mind." The laugh he receives is warranted. Even Chandler has considered the proper protocol for the get-together. They've been to many events together (such as birthdays and weddings), but the longer they're together, the more difficult it is to maintain the carefully set boundaries of their relationship. In fact, its slowly been getting more difficult in general. Touching Kent feels so natural now, the need to hold him and comfort him throughout the day becoming second-nature (which causes many issues for Chandler at work), and all of this was amplified after their argument two months ago.

Kent turns in Chandler's hold to wrap his arms around his neck. "Oh no, I've worried you, haven't I?" Chandler tries to defend himself, but ends up floundering. With a soft smile, Kent presses a kiss to his mouth. "Don't worry, Joe," he whispers when they pull apart, "we'll do fine."

Then Chandler's phone rings.

- **[TRIGGER WARNING: MENTIONS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE]**

He can feel his heart in his throat and a wave of nausea in his stomach. It’s not like Kent has never seen a crime scene like this before – honestly, he has seen a few since becoming a DC, to the point it is almost familiar, something he has learned to build a resilience for. But that fact doesn’t stop his heart from racing and his breath quickening each time, and once he put all the pieces together in his head, he feels himself struggle to stay upright against the wall behind him.

The bruises. The healed wounds. The fresh ones, and where they are placed. He knows what they usually mean.

He glances back towards the area where he can see Chandler and Miles talking to Llewellyn - though the body is (fortunately) obscured by them – at the same moment Chandler decides to look in his direction. The DI frowns slightly as he notices Kent’s shaken demeaner, causing the young detective to force a small smile to reassure him. It doesn’t appear to work, Chandler still looking concerned as he turns back to the pathologist. Once the conversation ends, he makes his way over to Kent, standing closely in front of him.

“We, um…” he starts, unsure of how to approach the subject. “We’re almost done here. Just a couple of things left to check over.” Kent nods silently, unable to speak through the lump in his throat. He sees Chandler open his mouth again to speak and instinctively move to reach out to him, but he quickly stops himself, dropping his hand back by his side and looking away momentarily. “Since there isn’t much left to do, why don’t you head back to the station? You can get things ready to start the investigation when we get back.”

Kent swallows, nodding again. “… yes, Sir,” he manages weakly. He pushes himself away from the wall, unsurprised by how weak his legs feel. “Thank you,” he adds. Chandler meets his eyes again and decides to place a comforting hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently, before walking back over to Miles.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Kent makes his way over to his scooter.

-

“Lea Robbins was found dead by her son, Oliver, who got their neighbour to call the police. She seemingly died due to blunt force trauma to the head after a violent altercation. According to both the son and the neighbour, the suspect is possibly her boyfriend and father of her child, Shaun Reed, who is now missing.” Chandler turns away from the whiteboard and faces his team. “Our case going forward is most likely domestic abuse.”

Kent can feel his hands start shaking as he tries to write down notes.

“Tracking down Reed so we can ensure his arrest is the main priority,” Chandler continues. “But in the meantime, I want us to compile enough evidence to prove there was domestic violence throughout the relationship prior to this incident, otherwise his lawyers could push for ABH charges. Miles and I will visit his home and workplace to find any information of his potential whereabouts. Kent, Riley, speak to the victim’s family, friends, neighbours – find out what they know about the relationship. Mansell, contact the suspect’s family to see if they know anything, either about the state of the relationship, or where he might be. The quicker this is over with, the better.”

Chandler moves to walk back towards his office, but stops abruptly barely a second later, his mind processing his instructions.

“Wait,” he states softly, making the team pause as the try to start their assigned tasks. “No, I didn’t- I—” He notices all the strange looks being directed at him and closes his eyes to rethink for a moment. “I’m sorry, I should have been more thoughtful.” The team share confused glances. “If… if anyone is uncomfortable with the role I have assigned them, I want to make sure you know that you can come to me and discuss it. Your wellbeing comes first.” He makes eye contact with Kent, who smiles at him more sincerely than earlier.

“He’s right,” Miles speaks up. “I know we’re supposed to be hardened detectives who’ve seen it all, but we all have our own demons, and we’ve all had bad moments on cases.” He observes Riley, remembering her fear of being out in the field, and Mansell, who has had his fair share of problems on the job. “I know I’ve had many myself, and I wouldn’t wish that on any of you.”

Chandler nods at Miles, appreciating the support. “So if anyone finds themselves struggling, please come see me.” He finally walks back to his office, resting a hand on Kent’s back as he passes his desk.

-

_1YEAR AGO_

_Chandler wandered to the men’s bathroom, fatigue finally taking over his body. He knew he shouldn’t stay so late, his tiredness only working to hinder his capacity to think critically, but going home during a case is too hard for him, unable to make the cogs in his brain stop turning. He decided to go to wash his hands and refresh himself to clear his head._

_This plan was disrupted by the sniffling he heard as soon as he opened the door. Cautiously (and quietly) moving further inside, he noticed Kent leaning against the sinks, eyes slightly red and wet. He hadn’t even realised the DC was still in the station, with most of the team leaving a while ago. The sight made him remember something Miles told him a while back, when he first joined the team, about how they all cope with their stresses._

_Part of his wanted to leave, to ignore what he saw and not intrude. But he also felt a strong urge to stay and help the young detective. They haven’t been as close lately as they used to be, but he still felt a level of responsibility and care towards the man. After a small debate within his mind, he found himself pushing further into the room and announcing his presence with a small “Kent?”_

_The man jumped slightly at the sudden noise, turning towards Chandler in shock, before quickly beginning to stand up straight and wipe at his eyes. “Sorry, Sir, I didn’t think- I was just—”_

_“I didn’t mean to intrude. I’m sorry.”_

_Kent looked to the floor, his entire face starting to adopt the same red tint his eyes were. Realising how embarrassing the situation might be, Chandler was regretting stepping into the room. “I’ll just—” he heard Kent mutter, and saw him gesturing towards the door to signal his departure._

_“Are you okay?” he found himself saying in a worried tone. He could sense that Kent was going to make an excuse, so interrupted him again. “Seriously, if something is bothering you, I would rather you talk to me about it. I know I haven’t been very involved lately, but I still care about you all.”_

_As much as he was trying to hold back, Kent was visibly tearing up again. He sighed heavily, he entire form deflating as he supported himself against the sinks again. “I’m just… finding it all a bit rough right now.”_

_Chandler walked further into the room, attempting to position himself the same as Kent, but opting to just stand next to him rather than leaning against the sink. “Generally, or this case?”_

_The case was nothing out of the ordinary – an GBH case that is likely to be a result of ongoing abuse. Obviously it is distressing, as all the violent cases are, but Kent had never really reacted this badly to them. ‘Or maybe you just never noticed?’ he thought._

_“I deal with death all the time,” Kent spoke after a moment of silent thought, “and see horribly mutilated bodies… but this stuff? It just… gets to me.” Chandler didn’t speak, giving Kent a moment to consider whether he was comfortable discussing this subject or not. He heard him gulp in the silence of the room, trying to get rid of the lump in his throat. “It hits a bit too close for comfort.”_

_Chandler felt his heart sink as he realised what his DC was telling him. “You…?”_

_Kent shook his head. “No, no, not me. Well, not entirely. My dad, he…. Anyway, it was a long time ago, and after a while I learned how to cope with these cases, but, uh… the Krays just made it worse.”_

_A wave of concern and guilt washed over Chandler, and a million thoughts rushed through his brain at once. How didn’t he notice this before? Why would he have noticed? Were there signs? Was he responsible? Could he have stopped it from spiralling? Why didn’t he know of this?_

_Kent started fidgeting as the silence continued, starting to feel uncomfortable with the situation. Just as he was about to brush it off with a humorous comment to dispel the awkwardness, Chandler started speaking._

_“After my dad died, it took a long time to come to terms with it and move on.” He stared at a random point on the wall, not wanting to be dissuaded from sharing his story. “Once I joined the force, death became a common occurrence, and though it will always be a sad, disheartening situation, you learn to push through it… but the drownings…” He trailed off, reminded of all those cases they had worked over the years._

_“I understand.” He heard Kent whisper. He looked to the side and saw him playing with the bottom of his suit jacket, the nervous energy working its way through him. Without thought, Chandler placed a hand on his arm, rubbing it softly. Kent gasped at the contact, finally looking at Chandler properly._

_“I’d never let anything like that happen to you again. I promise.”_

_Seeing the tears well up in Kent’s eyes again filled Chandler with an unstoppable impulse to make all of his pain go away. He pulled him to his chest, wrapping his arms around him tightly, letting him cry into his shoulder._

_They stayed like that for a few moments, allowing Kent time to vent. A muffled “I’m getting your suit wet, Sir,” broke the tenseness of the situation, causing both men to chuckle lightly._

_He made the decision that day to stick to his promise. He would never let anyone or anything hurt Emerson Kent again._

_- **[TRIGGER WARNING END]**_

The case is over fairly quickly. They manage to track down Reed through CCTV footage, and with the statements from relatives and associates, they manage to make a case detailing the abuse the victim experienced over the course of their relationship to ensure a full conviction. Overall, a great success for the team.

At the end of the day, the Incident Room is full of jovial chatter, everyone happy to have finished a case without further tragedy. Even Buchan and Chandler are present for the small celebration, the latter wandering to the doorway of his office to lean against the frame as he watches the team pack up to leave. Amidst all the bustle, he notices Kent sat on the edge of his desk, lightly paying attention to Ed as he theatrically gestures throughout whatever story he is telling an amused-looking Riley. There’s a small smile on his face as he enjoys the display, but Chandler can see the lingering tension in his frame, still not fully recovered from the stress of the case.

Pushing away from the doorframe, he makes his way over to the DC’s desk. Kent doesn’t acknowledge his presence as he sits beside him, but Chandler knows he’s been noticed by the way he seems to relax a little more, and his focus on Ed lessens.

“Feeling any better?” he mutters, leaning closer to him to be heard over the sound of the rest of the team.

“Sort of,” Kent responds, still watching the others. “I’ll be okay soon, I just need some time to pull myself together.”

Chandler follows Kent’s line of sight, seeing Mansell throw an arm around Ed, causing him to jump in surprise. Kent chuckles beside him, and it makes him smile in affection. “You did a good job today, Em.” When the man hastily turns to him in shock, he reaches out and wraps an arm around his shoulder, pulling him tightly against his side for a brief hug.

Despite the contact only lasting a few seconds at most, Kent proceeds to stare at him – mouth ajar - in a mixture of panic and confusion. He nonchalantly turns to survey the room again, playing off the action as inconsequential, only to find a few members of the team had noticed the encounter; Miles smirking as he shakes his head and turns back to his conversation, and Meg beginning to whisper something to Mansell, who lets out a surprised laugh. Chandler stands from the desk and casually makes his way back into his office, leaving a blushing Kent behind.

-

They arrive at Miles’ party separate (it _is_ Judy’s birthday, according to the banners), so Kent is already nursing a drink when he sees Chandler enter the room. As expected, the DI greets Judy first, and begins conversations with other members of the team afterwards rather than immediately joining Kent. _He’s caused enough suspicion for today,_ Kent jokes to himself, which he knows to most certainly be true by the way Mansell has been teasing him since he arrived.

Before long, Chandler makes his way over to them. “I hope you two aren’t causing any trouble,” he quips, taking in the mild look of annoyance on Kent’s face.

“Not yet, Sir,” Mansell laughs. “But I doubt Kent will do anything to get in your bad books.”

Kent rolls his eyes and lifts his can to his mouth. “Piss off, Mansell,” he responds, but lacking any real venom.

“Y’know what,” Mansell says in a humorous tone, “I think I might, actually. Leave you two to talk.” He winks at Kent as he walks away. Groaning, he takes another swig of his drink.

“Sorry about that,” he mumbles. “He hasn’t shut up about yesterday.” Chandler makes a quiet ‘ _ah_ ’ sound in acknowledgement, but then they fall into a silence that frankly borders on both comfortable and awkward. “Speaking of yesterday,” Kent pushes on, nervous about starting this conversation in such a public space. “I’m, um… very thankful for you looking out for me, it means a lot. But…” He trails off, trying to choose his words carefully.

“You’re worried about the hug,” Chandler states bluntly.

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

Kent raises an eyebrow, wondering why Chandler was being so laid back about it. “Well, everyone saw. And now they’re gonna start asking questions.”

Chandler sighed. “They can ask as many questions as they like. I’ve told you this before, I’m not going to keep ignoring you just because I’m scared of the questions.”

“And I’ve told _you_ that I’m fine with the secrecy right now,” Kent smiles at him in reassurance, but Chandler doesn’t smile in return. “I understand why we do it—”

“But I don’t _want_ to do it anymore, Em.” He reaches out and rubs a hand on Kent’s arm. “I love you too much to keep doing that to you.”

Kent freezes and gawps at the other man. He struggles to speak, choking on any words he attempts, but once he notices Chandler starting to pull away, he rushes to stop him. “You really mean that?” he asks quietly. The relieved grin that breaks out on Chandler’s face makes his heart flutter.

“Of course I do, Em.”

He feels his face starting to burn up, and looks to the ground to try to hide his reddening cheeks. Chandler lightly tugs on his arms, silently asking permission to pull him closer. Kent decides to act first, ignoring the reaction of those around them by stepping towards his partner, wrapping his arms around his waist, and burying his head into his chest, feeling the vibrations of Chandler’s laughter.

“Me too,” he mumbles against his chest, earning himself a tighter embrace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary:
> 
> Kent reacts badly to a crime scene due to signs of abuse, and is comforted by Chandler (touch to shoulder).  
> Chandler reassures the team (while assigning tasks) that they can tell him if anything is troubling them, and rubs Kent's arm on the way to his office.  
> Flashback to before they were dating, Chandler finds Kent crying in the bathroom during a domestic abuse case. Kent shares information about his childhood. Chandler relates to him about his father's death. Chandler hugs him while he cries.


	10. Waking Up Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not quite exactly what the prompt was aiming for, but close enough

It's far too early.

Kent adores the feeling of waking up beside Chandler almost every morning. There's always something so domestic about it, regardless of the circumstances that led them to be sharing a bed - whether a romantic evening, a decision of convenience, or the instinctive urge to be close to another person (particularly during/after a bad case). They always end up at this point, waking up together.

But it's far. too. early.

Chandler has always run on a much stricter schedule than Kent. It's to be expected, really, with his situation. Kent understood this when he began dating the man, and even before that point, having worked for him for many years, learning and adapting to his idiosyncrasies. But that doesn't make it any easier to deal with.

It wasn't as much as a problem at the start, since Kent would have to make his own way to the station to avoid any suspicion that would arise if they walked into work together too often. However, the team has known about them for a while now - ever since Judy's party around two months ago - so there was no reason for them to purposefully arrive at different times, meaning Kent has begun to run on Chandler's schedule. Chandler's _very early_ schedule.

Hearing the alarm switch off, he throws an arm over his eyes and groans loudly, earning a laugh from the man next to him. An arm wraps around his waist, pulling him against a warm chest.

"We slept late all weekend," Chandler comments in an amused tone.

"And wasn't it lovely?" He turns in the embrace to snuggle into him properly. "Maybe we should do it everyday."

"And be late for work?"

"I have a feeling the boss won't mind."

Chandler sighs light-heartedly and tightens his hold on Kent. "Are you really that tired?"

Kent shifts so he could look up at him. "Just a little," he murmurs with a smile on his face. Chandler presses his lips against Kent's forehead and lets out another soft sigh, his will clearly starting to slip, which Kent decides to take advantage of. Once Chandler pulls back, he nuzzles against his chin. "Just this once, Joe," he whispers in a pleading tone.

-

By the time they walk into the Incident Room, the rest of the team are already there. Chandler - _understandably_ , Kent thinks - immediately walks to his office, avoiding the amused scrutiny of his work mates. Or, in other words, leaving Kent to deal with the brunt of it - though he guesses that its warranted since he's the one responsible for it. He wanders over to his desk while actively ignoring the smirk Mansell is directing at him. He's expecting the crude comments and accusations to be thrown his way any second, but surprisingly, its not Mansell who starts them.

"I think you deserve a medal for keeping him out of the office this long," Miles jokes from across the room.

Kent busies himself with logging on to his computer to appear nonchalant. "It's not like we're late, just... later than usual."

"Yeah, well," Miles replies in that fake blasé tone he seems to have perfected over the years. "it's still an achievement. I would tell you to keep it up, but I don't want to be encouraging anything inappro-"

"That's not what we we're doing!" Kent interrupts, face already quickly heating up. He can hear Mansell and Riley burst out laughing and groans inwardly.

Maybe he'll just stick to Chandler's schedule.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know these chapters are meant to be short (as the title suggests) but after the last few this one feels waaaaayyy too short *sigh*


	11. Moving In Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you enjoy this short present!

Despite what most people would expect from Joseph Chandler, his relationship with Kent has always been erratic.

Boundaries were established and conversations about their needs and limits happened overtime, but most developments occurred organically. Their first kiss was entirely unplanned - a spur of the moment decision after one of a number of unofficial "dates" (when the line between 'bonding' and 'dates' had been crossed, Chandler still isn't sure). Their relationship continued without a definition for the first month or two, only gaining a label once the feelings of guilt turned into comfort and familiarity, and yet this label still remains almost subconsciously agreed upon rather than verbally confirmed. The expectation of each other's company came gradually, as well as the domesticity of their arrangement.

And most of all, his decision to tell Kent he loves him didn't come after meticulous planning and deliberation - he just knew he had to.

Hence when he looks around his flat and notices the small signs of Kent's regular presence, he cannot say he is surprised by the covert manner in which it has happened. His belongings are scattered around the whole space, intertwined with Chandler's own. Kent's clothes are neatly stored alongside his, and his favourite foods are readily available in the fridge and cupboards. The book he recently started is placed on the coffee table, lined up neatly to the edge. In the monotonous theme of Chandler's basic, minimalist living space, small splashes of colour and life can be found in the random assortment of Kent's belongings, unknowingly decorating the place. Without notice, Kent has slotted himself neatly into the precise organisation of his life and left not a thing out of place.

So when Chandler slips a spare key into Kent's hand one morning, he says nothing, just turning to the sink to dispose of his empty cup of tea. He notices, briefly, the pause in Kent's actions as he looks at the object and realises what it is, but then Kent slips the key into his pocket and finishes the last of his own tea, before leaving to grab his coat so they can head to work.

And if Chandler notices some more of Kent's belongings in the flat in the next week, he doesn't mention it.


	12. Babysitting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I genuinely can't remember whether Miles' daughter has a name in the show, so prepare for an entire chapter of me avoiding naming her. I also have no idea how old she would be in this current timeline, so I tried to be as non-specific as possible, so I apologise if this chapter is vague as hell lol

"Are you absolutely sure you're okay with this?" Miles says slowly, clearly trying to give Chandler the space to back out of the plan.

Sighing in exasperation, Chandler looks directly at Miles to convey his sincerity. "I'm certain. You don't have to worry about anything."

Miles huffs in amusement.

"Look, I know I don't seem very... nurturing," he continues. He decides to fiddle with the items on his desk to avoid that look on Miles' face that screams _'obviously'_. "But I assure you that I'm not completely incompetent. I do have some level of understanding about how to look after a child. You don't have to worry about her."

"It not her I'm worried about, Joe."

"Miles..."

Miles stands up from the desk with his hands raised in mock surrender. "Alright, I'll trust you. But I want you to know, you can change your mind at any time. I'll completely understand."

-

_They're due to arrive any moment now, so just be calm_ , Chandler thinks nervously. He scans his flat repeatedly, searching for a sign that he has forgotten to do something, or any dangers he has mistakenly overlooked. His eyes meet the clock again and he takes a shuddery breath.

"There's nothing wrong, Joe." He turns around the face the kitchen, where Kent is leaning against the bench while holding cup of coffee in one hand and scrolling through his phone with the other - a perfect example of how to _"be calm"_. "We've gone over it plenty of times, I promise there's nothing wrong with the flat."

"I'm sorry, Em. I know I'm being stressful."

Kent looks up from the phone and smiles at his partner. "Don't apologise, I get it. Children are hard work. But I'm here to help, so you don't have to worry about getting everything right."

"You didn't have to stay." Chandler steps closer to Kent to hold onto his waist. "I appreciate the help, but I would have completely understood if you wanted to go elsewhere during all of this."

Kent places his phone and the coffee beside him. "I wouldn't have left you here to struggle on your own." Chandler smiles and presses a kiss to his temple. "Also, Skip said that if I wasn't here when he drops her off, he'd haunt me, so I didn't want to risk that."

Chandler laughs at the comment and feels himself relax. "Honestly, I'm really glad we're doing this." Kent frowns slightly in confusion. The doorbell rings, making Chandler pull away to answer it. "It'll be good practise," he calls back to Kent on his way to the door, before pulling it open and greeting Ray and Judy.

-

Once the child is safely back with the Miles', Chandler collapses onto the sofa and lets out a huge breath. He can hear Kent back in the kitchen, tidying up some of the mess they had made earlier trying to feed her. Despite how eventful - and successful, might he add - the night had been, Kent had seemed oddly quiet, and Chandler couldn't figure out where it had come from.

He decides to give him some space and wait for Kent to come to him if he needs to talk, but when Kent eventually joins him on the sofa, he merely just sits there in silent contemplation, clearly debating what to say.

"I think things went relatively well, wouldn't you say?" Chandler begins, hoping conversation would bring his good mood back. Kent just nods in response. "I'm definitely glad we were able to figure things out, so we know what are doing in the future."

Although Kent wasn't moving much before now, Chandler notices the way he freezes momentarily, before tapping his fingers nervously against his leg. "Because we need practise...." he says in an almost whisper, "for the future..."

Chandler moves closer to Kent, placing a hand on his to stop the motion. "Is something the matter?" He whispers back. "You've been... off all afternoon. Have I done something wrong?"

"Its just-" Kent starts, but he sighs and turns towards Chandler. "I know we've never really discussed much of what has happened between us, and we've just made things up as we've gone along, but... I think the expectation of kids is something we should have talked about."

Chandler sits in silence, slowly processing Kent's words, and once the meaning hits his eyes widen. "Y-you think I want kids? Us? Us have kids?"

Kent frowns. "Isn't that what you were saying? That we need to practise looking after a child for when we have our own?"

"No! No, that's not what I meant," Chandler rambles in a flustered state. "I just meant for when we inevitably babysit again!" Kent sighs in relief, leaning against the back of the sofa, making Chandler chuckle a bit. "She's my goddaughter, I assume this will be a continuous event."

"Yeah, of course... God, I feel stupid." Kent covers his face with his hands. After a moment, Chandler reaches out and pulls Kent's hands away to look at him.

"I do plan my future in my head sometimes," he begins. "Its something I've done since I was a child, and since my family seemed to have my life mapped out for me, it wasn't so hard to do." He notices the confused look on Kent's face, but continues to push through and not look away. "After the Ripper, things stopped being so obvious and linear, and I started to make my own future. One that I actually want. And when I think of my future now... I see you in it." He tightens his grip on Kent's hands. "I'm not sure about kids. I've never really had any plans to have them, and its not something I can see myself doing. But I do sometimes think of other things that I want. Things that I want with you."

Kent pushes himself up to face Chandler properly. "I want that with you too." He squeezes Chandler's hands in return. "But we have to start talking about these things so we can be on the same page."

Chandler leans in and kisses Kent, releasing his hands so he can place one at his neck to pull him in deeper. "Absolutely," he whispers against his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was compelled to write scenes of them actually babysitting, but it distracted the flow of the chapter, and I didn't want to accidentally start writing really long chapters again haha.


End file.
